Classifieds: Look on the sunny side

As we’ve noted here recently, a growing number of newspapers are cutting out some days entirely from their print production schedule (or in the case of Detroit’s papers, stopping home delivery for all but three days a week and producing a newsstand-sale-only thinner edition on the other four days). Others are cutting out just their classifieds sections on selected days of the week (Mondays and Tuesdays being the most obvious days to drop), while still publishing a paper 6 or 7 days a week, as always.

Retired newspaper publisher turned media blogger Martin Langeveld goes so far as to strongly advocate that papers publish only a couple times a week and go exclusively digital the rest. (Emphasis: That’s coming from a seasoned print executive, not some crazy media pundit with new-media stars in his eyes like Jeff Jarvis, or me.)

Y’know (to borrow a phrase from Caroline Kennedy), I think there’s a very positive side to this trend:

It will force newspaper classifieds operations to shift their focus, attention, and resources much more on online and mobile classifieds services. If anyone in a newspaper classifieds department needed a wake-up call that digital is the focus for the future, this is it. It’s a loud call for more and aggressive innovation.

If you need suggestions for enhancing your digital operation, there are plenty of ideas scattered around this website. I highlighted a few of the best ideas in this blog entry a few days ago. Also check out the recommendations from our Guest Experts here.